


Treading Water

by Ebenaceae



Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Elliott says some fancy words, Established Relationship, Ex-Mermaid Elliott, Fluff, M/M, Mermaid Elliott, One Shot, Swimming, swimming lessons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 04:06:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7919875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ebenaceae/pseuds/Ebenaceae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alex technically doesn't know how to swim. Thankfully, Elliott has a lot of experience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Treading Water

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a while back, and I just now decided on a whim to upload it. Anyway, that mermaid Elliott headcanon was at its peak at the time, I think, and I thought it was pretty cute...  
> Mindless fluff.

“Do you ever get homesick?”

The question almost startled Elliott, taking himself out of his reverie as he and Alex sat on the edge of the furthest dock out in the ocean. 

Funnily enough, Elliott just been thinking about his past home. With his feet in the water, the soft, silky feeling of the water flowing around his ankles made him reminisce about back before he traded in his golden tail. Sitting only in shorts with the sun beating on his skin made him remember the hours upon hours he’d bask in the sun on rocks, watching the human world. It had almost been a daydream powerful enough to forget where he was, or that Alex was there beside him.   
Only almost. He didn’t think he could forget Alex.

The relationship they had cultivated was likely an odd one to outsiders. And to them, almost everyone was an outsider. It wasn’t a particularly bad thing, as they seemed to like their peace and quiet, if spending time together on the isolated dock was anything to go by. 

There was something about Alex that drew Elliott in—he could see past the facade Alex put up, of course he could, he had written characters exactly like him. It never put either of them off, though, which Elliott was thankful for. He genuinely liked the person Alex could be, and he could tell that Alex was just happy to have somebody that, aside from his grandparents, actually understood. 

So Elliott turned his head to look at Alex with a smile, though when he turned his head, Alex only seemed solemn, waiting for Elliott’s answer with a tight-lipped frown.    
Elliott’s smile faltered on seeing it. “Well… only rarely, now,” he started slowly to think of how to put his feelings in words. “I think that, as I’ve been here for a while, I do not feel as much want to return. There were some times in the past where I’ve felt like I regretted leaving the ocean, but, afterwards, I realize that staying with my family was not what I wanted. Living in the sea was not what I wanted,” he explained, “I had felt more hurt trying to be something I couldn’t be than I have feeling homesick.”

Elliott didn’t know what Alex wanted to hear, but he assumed he had said something he liked, as Alex seemingly let go of a long-held breath. He otherwise stayed silent, allowing Elliott to continue.

“I know what I did was right. But, I suppose that yes, I do feel a little homesick on occasion. Sometimes I swim to quell the feeling. Maybe you should join me sometime,” Elliott smiled again, diverting the conversation to where he hoped was more of a comfortable topic. 

He failed, however, as his words only made Alex cringe. “I… like, for what, for a swim? I. Well. You know. I don’t know, I guess.”

Elliott frowned and cocked his head, making his red hair bounce. “Whyever not? I thought it would be something you enjoyed.”

Alex turned away, back to the endless ocean, and shrugged lazily. “Dunno. I’m just… kind of not a fan. Of swimming. Or whatever,” he muttered. He seemed shy, reluctant to answer, which Elliott found particularly odd. 

With how Alex was usually more abrasive, Elliott started to wonder if it was a touchy subject. “Perhaps, do you… just not like water?” He asked.

Alex shrugged again, harder, and shook his head for good measure. “No, like, the water is fine and everything, I don’t know, doesn’t matter, just…” he paused, pursing his lips for a few seconds before sighing, letting himself relax. “You’re obviously good at swimming. Freaking…. ex-mermaid and whatever. That’s sick and everything, but I can’t, y’know, say the same. I just…” he trailed off, laughing nervously and ducking his head. 

“It’s alright, Alex. If it’s… something sensitive, I’m not sure, you don’t have to—”

“It’s cool!” Alex interrupted, turning back to Elliott. He was slightly flustered. “It’s not. I mean, not a bad topic or anything. Just like… embarassing, sorta. It’s nothing bad, really. I just, like, grew up in the city, and everything with my folks… swimming was never a high priority on the to-do list. I never really… I don’t really know…” Alex trailed off again, looking down, though he at least didn’t turn away.

Elliott perked up, coming to a realization, and he gave Alex a sympathetic smile. “Oh! Oh, Alex, no, that’s fine. Please… there is no wrongdoing in not being able to—apologizes, I won’t say it if you don’t want me to. Nevertheless, you’re not ashamed, are you?” He asked gently, nudging Alex’s arm with his own.

Alex, in turn, grimaced. “A little. Again, like, you’re super pro, and me? I’m literally less than a casual. How messed is that?” Alex huffed. “So I dunno if swimming with you or anything would be… cool. I’m really sorry.”

Elliott hummed in understanding, nodding slightly to himself. He stayed quiet for a moment, tapping long fingers on the wood of the dock, thinking. After a minute, he smiled.

“Well, if you ever need a teacher.”

Alex blinked a couple of times in surprise before speaking. “Woah, like… like a  _ swimming coach?  _ Are you for real? I…  _ dude.”  _ He laughed lightly, not knowing what to say. “I’m not sure if I could, it’s like, you know…”

Elliott shrugged. “I don’t think I do know, actually. I just know that I am willing to help, and truly, who is more appropriate to help one with swimming than a mermaid?” Elliott smirked, chuckling. He certainly wouldn’t have minded spending more time with Alex.

Alex managed to crack a smile, rolling his eyes. “Like, good point, I guess, even if you’re only an ex-mermaid, since you’ve apparently forgotten… duh,” he gave a huff of a laugh, trying to joke. “But fine. Fine, I’ll take you up on your lessons. At least I won’t drown, I’m sure.”

“I wouldn’t be  _ so  _ sure, as mermaids  _ are  _ notorious for dragging sailors into the sea to drown in stories…” Elliott commented, shrugging. 

Alex only stared at him and went pale, frowning in horror.

Elliott frowned deeply. “In  _ stories!  _ I said in stories! I meant that if I were a human—which I guess I am—I’d be a little more cautious around mermaids, but… come on. Nevermind, nevermind.”

Alex only laughed at Elliott’s frustration, slapping his hand on Elliott’s shoulder in a playful gesture. “Hey, man, I’m sorry! You just need to, uh, work on your wording when you talk about… eating people, I guess. Ironic, I mean, since you write ‘n whatever… but inciting terror in real life? Not cool,” he grinned.

Elliott sighed, not being able to resist smiling. “Apology accepted. Now, please, don’t actually be afraid of me… or the water, for that matter. Actually, how about we start a swimming lesson right now?”

“What, really? I mean, I guess we could—”

Before Alex had finished his sentence, Elliott had already slipped from the dock into the crystal-blue water, with barely a splash. Alex grumbled in annoyance at the interruption but watched as Elliott came up, breaking the surface, and flung his long hair back to get it out of his face. It caused an arc of water to fall behind him, making Alex laugh, which let him forgive the author for the miniscule offence of interrupting him. 

“You’ll join me, then?” 

“Yeah, yeah, hold your seahorses…” Alex was slower to get into the water, holding onto the dock steadily as he tried lowering himself from the edge so he wouldn’t fall in so deeply. With some help from Elliott, he finally managed to get in and let go from the pier—though he gripped Elliott’s arms tightly. 

“Okay, well, I guess we’ll start by just treading water,” Elliott said, noting how strong Alex’s grip was as his arms were squeezed by the athlete. It was slightly funny, to him, how Alex was big and buff and boasted about being good at practically every sport, and was only then learning how to swim. His grip was strong, undoubtedly from his intensive training. Elliott wondered if his arms would bruise. 

“Yeah, sure, I, uh, that’s cool, I guess,” Alex muttered nervously, looking down in the deep water at their legs. He couldn’t see the bottom, which unnerved him to  _ hell.  _ “What do I do?”

Elliott chuckled again. “What we’re doing right now. Just try to move your legs calmer. Match mine, it’s alright, I won’t let go of you,” he said calmly, even though Alex was doing most of the work to hold on. 

Alex nodded slightly and tried doing what Elliott said, matching his movements, finding it easier to float. 

“You’ve got it,” Elliott said softly, coupled with a melodic hum. He tilted his head down, as if to look at their legs as well. “Just like a mermaid.” The tilt of his head let his and Alex’s foreheads rest against each other, Elliott made a noise from deep in his throat as they met; low, but in their close proximity, Alex could just hear it. 

Alex seemed to relax, letting Elliott’s arms go and releasing the man from his death-grip. He was focused, but noticeably happy at his progress.

It made Elliott smile, warmly and easily.

Though there were times where he was homesick, there was no doubt in his mind that he made the right decision to live on land.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not even totally familiar with either of these characters in-game, even after all the time that I wrote this...  
> This was looked over fairly quickly, so apologies for any errors that might be present! 
> 
> You can find me on tumblr as [Ebenaceae. Come say hi!](www.ebenaceae.tumblr.com)  
> Comments are, as always, appreciated. Thanks!


End file.
